Hansom-cab



G. A. READE.

.HANSOM GAB.

Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

UNITE TATES CHARLES A. READE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HANSOM-CAB.

SPECIFICATIOhT forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,160, dated January18, 1887.

Application filed April 26, 1886. Serial No. 200,175. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. READE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hansom-Cabs, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to hansom-cabs such as have curved doors, and hasfor its object to provide a cab withsuch curved doors as will be moreeasily and cheaply made, and will permit the center of the dash-boardand the center of the front to come closely together, while permittingthe curved doors to swing easily. I attain these objects by the meansillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figurel is a side andinterior view of a cab, and Fig. 2is atop view, Fig. 3 isa detail.

Like parts are indicated by the same le tter in the figures.

A is the body: B, the rear elevated seat; 0,

the inner seat; F, the dashboard, curved, as

shown, and somewhatin the form of the front when the doors are curved.

G is the narrow connecting part of the dashboard, and in some cases thetwo sides of the board may come together, and thus the connectingpiecebe disposed of.

H H are the curved doors, shaped as shown, forming a convexcurve untiltoward the forward edge, where the curve becomes concave, and ofsuch'shape that the two forward edges of the doors will almost form an apexor edge if brought together.

I I are the cab-windows.

J is the top, curved forwardly so as to accommodate itself to the shapeof the doors.

G is the center-post, and to it the doors may be hinged, or they mayfold against it. The

It supports the top and cured to the door, the other both pivotedtogether. A cylindrical box containing the spring T forms part of thehinge, and the spring tends to close the door.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: The center-postserves to support the top, and acts also as the hinge-post of the doorswhen they swing forward, andas the door-frame when they swing rearward,as shown. At the same time it acts as the dashboard support and center.By this means the cab front is made simpler and lighter and with lessexpense than usual. The peculiar curve given to the forward part of thedoors permits them to act substantially as doors having a uniform andcontinuous curve, While at the same time they give to the cab theappearance of havinga prow-shaped front. The use of the step will beobvious. The peculiar arrangement of the door hinge and spring serves tokeep the door constantly closed and to close it when it is opened.

I clain1-- 1. In a hansom-cab, the combination of the body withhinged'swinging curved doors, a curved dash-board, and a central forwardpost, which serves as a support for the top and the dash-board and toreceive the edges of the doors.

2. In a hansom-cab, a step consisting of a curved rod bow-shaped belowand attached to the body at each end, with a step and a stepshank whichrests in the crotch formed by the meeting sides of the bow-shaped rodand is attached thereto, and which passes thence to the body.

3. In a hansonrcab, the combinationfwith the body, of doors which are inthe main outwardly convex,butwhich terminate forwardly inoutwardly-concave curves, whereby the to the body, and

